Folding shoe box



Aug. 3, 1954 CASTER FOLDING SHOE BOX Filed Aug. 5, 1952 :EIIEI zINVENTOR. /r' v/ng Casfer BY ECAf/OFF 5L/CK, 14/795.

4 member of Me inn Patented Aug. 3, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT osFlcaFOLDING SHOE BOX Irving Caster, San Mateo, Calif. Application August 5,1952, Serial No. 302,649

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to a box and particularly relates to aconvertible box which may be used both as a box for storing merchandiseand as an attractive carrying case for carrying the merchandise home.

In selling items of merchandise, it is always advantageous if thecustomer can be induced to carry his purchases home rather thanrequiring the store to deliver them. Customers are frequently reluctantto do this, primarily because of the lack of convenient packages forcarrying merchandise as most boxes are rather unwieldy. This isparticularly true in the case of shoes. The box of present invention isparticularly adapted for use as a shoe box but, of course, it may bereadily adapted and used for various items of merchandise.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a box for shoes andthe like which has a convenient carrying handle which is an integralpart of the box.

It is another object of this invention to provide a shoe box with acarrying handle wherein the carrying handle folds snugly againstv thebox, so that the box occupies no more space on a shelf than aconventional box.

A further object of this invention is to provide a shoe box which may bepartially assembled and shipped flat and which may be readily furtherassembled without the use of any special tools or equipment to providethe finished box.

It is also the object of this invention to provide a shoe box of agenerally improved design which is very attractive in appearance.

In the drawings forming a part of this application there is shown inFigure 1 a perspective view of the shoe box of the present inventionwith the handle folded against the box so that the box occupies aminimum amount of space; i. e.- the box is in the form in which it wouldordinarily be stored on a shelf.

In Figure 2 there is shown a perspective view of my improved shoe boxwith the handle inan extended position so that the box may be readilycarried.

In Figure 3 there is shown a cross-section view of the box on the lines3--3 of Figure 1.

In Figure 4 there is shown a cross-section view of the box on the lines4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 shows the blank from which the box in the present invention ismade.

Referring now to the drawing by reference characters, the box of thepresent invention has sides 6 and 8 and ends l6 and I2. A bottom for thebox is formed by four extensions of the sides and ends attached as isshown in Figure 5 and designated I416, 18 and 20. As can be seen fromthe drawing, the extension I4 has slots [5 therein, While the extension[8 has tabs [9 thereon. A top for the box is formed by two elongatedflaps designated 22 and 24 which are attached respectively to ends l0and I2. The flap 22 has a slot 21 therein, while the flap 28 has a tab25 thereon. The carrying handle of the present invention consists of twoflaps 26 and 28 which are attached respectively to side portions 6 and6. The fiap 26 has an elongated slot with curved ends 30 out thereinforming a flap 3! which is adapted to fold either outwardly or inwardlyalong the fold line designated 32. The opposite flap 28 has cut thereinan elongated hole with rounded ends designated 36 and a slit 35. As willbe later apparent. the slot 36 which forms flap 3| is substantially thesame size and shape as the hole 34 and is the same length as the slit35.

To facilitate the assembly of the box, the end piece l2 has a small flap36 located thereon which is ordinarily glued, or fastened by othersuitable means to the extreme end of the side piece 6. This forms acollapsible structure which will lie perfectly flat, and in this form,the blank for the box may be readily stored and shipped.

In assembling the box, the bottom flaps l6 and 26 are first turnedinwardly, and the flap I4 is then turned, inwardly. After thisoperation, the flap I 8 is turned inwardly and the tabs l9 inserted inthe slots l5. This leaves the box completed, except for the closing ofthe top. To close the top of the box, one first bends the iiap 22inwardly followed by the flap 24 whereupon the tab 25 is inserted in theslot 21.

If, at this time, it is desired that the box be in its most compactform, suitable for storage on a shelf, flap 28 is bent inwardly to forma cover over the box, and the flap 26 is then bent inwardly over theflap. 28, and the tab 3| inserted in the slit 35. This forms the box inthe condition shown in Figure 1 and in the detailed crosssection ofFigure 3.

When it is desired to use the box as a carrying package, all theoperations outlined above are performed with the exception of the mannerof folding flaps 26 and 28 inwardly. When it is desired to use the boxin this fashion, the flaps 26 and 28 are placed in face to face abutmentas is shown in Figures 2 and 4 and the tab 31 inserted through the hole34 and bent upwardly. This forms a convenient carrying handle.

Of course, it is apparent that many departures 3 may be made from theexact embodiment of the box illustrated without departing from thespirit of this invention. The box may be made of various sizes andshapes to accommodate various articles of merchandise. Further, themethod of holding the box together by means of the parts designated l4,l6, I8, 20, 22, 24 and 36 may be modified as is well known to thoseskilled in the art.

I claim:

A box for shoes and the like comprising a box formed from a fiat blankhaving a bottom, two ends and two sides, one side of said box having anupwardly extending first flap thereon, and the other side of said boxhaving an upwardly extending second flap thereon, said first flap havingan elongated portion partially out out to provide an elongated flaptherein, said second flap having an elongated hole and a slit therein,said References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSNumber Name Date 1,953,885 McAleer Apr. 3, 1934 2,007,810 Oman July 9,1935 2,078,455 Peters Apr. 27, 1937

